Tuesday, September 05, 2006

Boycott; Ford, McDonald's, the AFA

Sorry I haven't posted in some time. Although the first rule of a blog site is 'Post, Post, Post' I don't find that every 'issue' identified by popular media is actually worth commenting on. But, a friend saved me from my self-imposed silence. I got an interesting e-mail today about the American Family Association, a conservative 'Christian' group apparently, that is boycotting Ford because they 'GASP' advertise in glbt publications and 'GASP' 'WRETCH' offer glbt agencies savings when they purchase a number of vehicles. To view more of the details go to http://www.boycottford.com. If I haven't already said it on this site, let me say it now. If you believe that being glbt is a sin, fine, you have every right to believe that. But please explain to me why a company that makes its profits by selling vehicles to people should not advertise to people!!! If you don't like glbt persons, don't read the adds in OUT Magazine!!! And if Ford has a policy of supporting various agencies with deals for buying a certain number of vehicles, why should glbt agencies be left out? Because you don't like them? Because they are 'sinners'? So should Ford stop selling all vehicles to people who sin? Should Ford's advertising campaigns only focus on perfect people? Once again, another pointless crusade on the part of a 'Christian' group.How about we boycott McDonald's? No I'm serious. In a recent article in Ekklesia various unethical labor practices supported by McDonald's were outlines. Workers harvesting tomatoes are only paid 40-50 cents for a 32lb bucket. They would need to harvest two tons a day to earn $50. Likewise a number of slavery rings have been found and prosecuted here in the United States. Rings exploiting foreign workers to bring in a harvest that will ensure profits for major corporations and poverty for the workers.Is this even a moral issue?Matt 20:8-12"When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, 'Call the workers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last ones hired and going on to the first.'"The workers who were hired about the eleventh hour came and each received a denarius. So when those came who were hired first, they expected to receive more. But each one of them also received a denarius. When they received it, they began to grumble against the landowner."I know, we are very used to reading this as a parable about the kingdom. But what if Dr. William Herzog is correct and Jesus is also making an economic statement? What if Jesus is actually talking about paying people fair wages, suggesting that a living wage is a part of the kingdom? It seems to me that Jesus said a lot more about treating the poor and sick with compassion and kindness than he every said about people who are glbt. Why don't we take an important moral stand; stand with foreign laborers who deserve to earn enough to feed and care for their families? Maybe if they earn enough they will buy a Ford.